Octobra

That's how Luke pronounces October:  Octobra.  But it's not Octo- BRA, like Octomom. 

It's just like the month, but with "-bra" on the end instead of "-ber." 

Chris and I are clinging to any baby-talk he's got left in him because this year we lost the cuteness of "a-cuz" (instead of "because") and "last day"(instead of yesterday.)  We still cry over the loss of Sammy talking about going to the "bowling alligator."  How did they grow up so fast?

 

At the same time I'm crying over them growing up, I'm simultaneously wishing they would stop acting like, well, KIDS!  Today I looked out the window to see Owen spit a bit loogie

on the trampoline.  Why????  I told Chris it's truly like living in an asylum most days. 

 I just don't get why they do some of the things they do.

 

Now that we're a full month into the school year, our days look a lot like this:

 

 Their work

 My work

 

 And also making school-appropriate meals.  This week and next we are studying Mexico,

so we had Spanish rice for lunch today and quesadillas yesterday 

(Owen still pronounces them "quadzillas" to make us laugh).

 

Today I broke form and actually did a couple art projects with them.  I can't STAND art - what a hassle! - but of course the curriculum includes it.  (sigh)  William enjoyed it the most. 

We made yarn art and God's Eyes. 

 

 I helped with the cat picture a LOT.  You can tell when you see the ones the older boys did on their own.  Owen's is the desert scene (left) and Sammy did Darth Vader (right).  You're probably wondering how Darth Vader ties into a unit study on Mexico.  Yeah, so am I.

 

Luke did some coloring and I made him a yarn art rainbow (not pictured.)

 

 

He and I had a real breakthrough last night.  I have tried to get him to associate letters with sounds and the beginnings of words for some time now, but he's always seemed very confused. 

 Last night the light bulb went on and he started rattling off words that started with

letters b, s, t, p, n, etc. with no help whatsoever.  It was amazing! 

I predict I'll have him reading by spring, when he's 4 1/2.  Such an exciting time for both of us!